New Orleans libraries turn over a new leaf with state-of-the-art buildings

For some New Orleanians, the story of the post-Katrina public library system's resurrection might read like a never-ending tale. While officials managed to reopen five of the 13 storm-damaged locations quickly, many neighborhoods have been forced to rely on makeshift mini-libraries housed in trailers, bookmobiles, elementary schools and abandoned retail spaces, including a former video rental store on North Carrollton Avenue.

But the long wait for many book lovers in hard-hit areas is about to end as City Hall prepares to cut the ribbons on five new state-of-the-art libraries over the next few months, including three in rapid-fire succession beginning this week.

The architects of the renaissance say visitors should prepare to be wowed.

"These are not your mom and dad's libraries," said Lee Reid, president of the New Orleans Public Library Board. "These libraries are up to date in the latest technology, up to date in the latest library trends."

While rows and rows of shelves filled with books are still the norm, Reid said the new facilities have lots of light and open space, green features, large meeting rooms and computer labs. Each will also feature distinctive artworks, from paintings to sculptures.

Reid said the building boom -- financed largely with disaster aid money -- comes as cash-strapped cities across the nation are shuttering branch libraries.

The string of openings starts Friday when the Rosa F. Keller Library and Center stages a ceremonial event, to be followed by a public viewing on Saturday.

Next up is the new Norman Mayer Library in Gentilly on March 20, followed by the Robert E. Smith branch in Lakeview two days later. The East New Orleans Regional Library on Read Boulevard is tentatively scheduled to open April 12.

The last of the new projects, the Algiers Regional Library, is about 55 percent complete and is expected to open its doors this summer.

All told, the investment at the five sites totals about $34 million, with the bulk of the money coming in the form of damage reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and from Community Development Block Grants. Similar to much of the recovery work the city has witnessed over the past six years, the new libraries will be better than the ones the city had when the storm struck.

Rebirth is 'unprecedented'

Bells and whistles include leased spaces that house coffee shops or bookstores, Wi-Fi hotspots and electronic self-checkout stations. For traditionalists who prefer the personal touch, library personnel will continue to release books to customers.

Among the other amenities are meeting rooms with separate entrances so they can be open after hours, teen spaces and panoramic views.

For example, visitors to the eastern New Orleans branch will be able to gaze out at two ancient live oaks in one direction and Joe Brown Park in the other. Contributing to the sensation of openness and light are giant glass walls, modern furniture and lower shelf heights.

Architects also incorporated energy-efficient designs to reduce the amount of water and electricity needed for daily operations.

The flurry of library construction represents the city's first large-scale experience with the "design-build" approach, which allows simultaneous bid solicitations for design and construction, rather than in separate rounds of bidding. The method expedited the process and, in some cases, has cut costs.

The prospect of overseeing the library rebirth brings a smile to the face of Charles Brown, who was hired by Mayor Mitch Landrieu four months ago to run the system.

"This is pretty much unprecedented," said Brown, who formerly ran the Charlotte, N.C., library system. "But even more so: the fact that we're opening three libraries in six days. I can't think of a community in America that's ever done anything like that."

The old and the new

Not all of the work in progress is new construction.

Renovations are under way at the historic Latter Library on St. Charles Avenue, where the storm-damaged terra-cotta roof has been replaced and a new air-conditioning system is being installed.

At another historic building housing the Cita Dennis Hubbell branch in Algiers Point, work is expected to begin soon to repair termite-damaged roof supports. Hubbell reopened after the storm, but was quickly closed after structural assessments raised safety concerns. For now, the library operates out of a carriage house behind the Algiers Courthouse.

Meanwhile, work at the Rosa Keller facility has been a mix of new construction and restoration.

Before Hurricane Katrina, the Broadmoor branch consisted of two buildings: A one-story bungalow home built in 1917 at South Broad Street and Napoleon Avenue and another built in 1993 specifically as a library.

The house was restored, and the library was razed and replaced. Changes include a "spine" joining the two structures that provides a clear sight line to a playground across Broad Street.

The historic house will serve as a community center and the library space will include a small cafe, a kitchen for cooking demonstrations, a conference room, a 28-computer technology center and administrative and meeting space.

The cafe at Rosa Keller -- the only one of the five new retail spaces to be leased to date -- will be named the Green Dot Cafe, a choice made by defiant Broadmoor residents who still fume at the infamous green dot on a post-Katrina city redevelopment map that suggested clearing their once-flooded neighborhood to make way for uninhabited "green space."

Unlike Keller, the libraries in Lakeview, Gentilly, eastern New Orleans and Algiers are entirely new buildings.

With a $9.25 million price tag and a 28,000-square-foot floor plan, the Algiers location is the largest and most expensive of the new libraries.

The $7.6 million library in eastern New Orleans, which is only slightly smaller than the Algiers branch, and the $4.5 million Lakeview branch, will augment the wave of recent development in both neighborhoods.

Book hasn't closed

Now that the FEMA disaster funds are nearly exhausted, the library system is looking for other ways to finance other projects outlined in its master plan.

Last year, officials discussed a wish list that included a new main library downtown, a regional site in Carrollton absorbing the Nix branch, storefront locations in Treme and Central City, and two new libraries Uptown.

But with a largely new board and a new executive director, the long-range strategy is being re-examined.

Reid, the board president, said the library boom provides a golden opportunity for New Orleanians to get involved in developing both programming and future expansion.

"The next step is to really evaluate how we completely transform this system to be on par, or even better, than our peer cities," Reid said.

"We're just now sitting down to look at what that will entail and figure out how we get there. Now that our core system is in place, we need to decide how do we advance to the next level from this stabilizing point.''